Lite-On IT Corp. is reported to begin shipping Microsoft stand-alone high-density digital versatile disc (HD DVD) players for Xbox360 game consoles in the first quarter of 2007, Lite-On's another big windfall after landing orders to supply DVD-ROM players for Xbox360s.

Taiwan's industry watchers expected the latest order to considerably help boost Lite-On's revenue for next year.

The report came shortly after Lite-On openly supported HD DVD camp spearheaded by Toshiba. Microsoft has until now contracted Toshiba to make the game machine's stand-alone HD DVD players. But industry insiders pointed out that Toshiba has intensively solicited support from Lite-On for its HD DVD format in hopes of combing its specialization in slim optical-disc players with Lite-On's profession in half-height DVD players to speed up prevalence of HD DVD format.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) plans to roll out HD DVD players in September and has chosen Toshiba to make the machines for it. Toshiba will likely delegate the orders to Lite-On to pare down production costs.

However, Lite-On declined to offer comments on whether or not Microsoft and HP would place orders with the firm. Institutional investors pointed out that Lite-On has been so far the only Taiwanese supplier of optical-disc players to side with HD DVD camp. They projected the company's revenue for this quarter at NT$14 billion (US$437.5 million at US$1:NT$32), up 27 percent from a quarter earlier, and its revenue for next quarter to soar to NT$17.6 billion (US$550 million). The company estimated its revenue for August at NT$4 billion (US$125 million), increasing 10 percent from July's NT$3.6 billion (US$113 million). The company had after-tax net income of NT$1.46 per share throughout the first half this year.

Lite On IT received more good news from M$ about delivering HD DVD Players to the company for their gaming system Xbox 360.

News-Source: www.burnworld.net